Process for manufacturing synthetic colored leather



Patented Nov. 21, TQZZ.

entree stares HUBERT W. MORGAN,

or LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING SYNTHETIC COLORED LEATHER.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUBERT W. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improyementsin Processes for Manufacturing Synthetic Colored Leather, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same.

The objects of the invention are to provide an improved method or process of manufacturing a colored material having substantially all the valuable properties of natural leather including tensile strength, softness and flexibility with the added property and advantage of superior wearing qualities, since coloring matter is incorporated throughout the body of the fabric, and the material must be worn completely through to eliminate the color.

' The invention also refers to the process of incorporating a variety of colors in a mottled or marbled formation throughout the body of the material, thus producing the most beautiful effects that can be made with combinations of colors and making a leather like product adapted for use in all situations where artistic and decorative effects are desired, as for clothing,lamp mats, covers for den furniture, wainscoting or leather tapestries, upholsteries, etc. with the unusual and novel advantage that it is much more durable, and can be worn out without destroying the color.

The process includes the several stages of operation enumerated in their order of succession as hereinafter described and specifically indicated in the claims.

The foundation for the improved manufactured leather is formed of a mass of fibers preferably of vegetable origin which can be used in the natural condition if free from oil, or if coated with oil, must first be cleaned thoroughly by immersion in a caustic or alkaline solution and washed to free them from alkali. The action of the alkaline solution also serves to soften the fibers and prepare them for the next treatment.

The mass of fibers is then immersed in a weak solution of vegetable acid such as acetic or other vegetable acids, or combinations of acids and solvents until a certain proportion of .the fibrous mass is converted into an Application filed October 30,

1919. Seria1-No. 334,594.

amorphous condition, the remaining fibers being imbedded in the mass of amorphous cellulose.

This process is continued until the proto portions of fibers remaining relatively to the body of amorphous cellulose, will, in the finished product, produce the required amount of tensile strength accompanied by the required amount of softness and flexibility, since if wholly converted into amorphous cellulose, a hard horny product would result.

After removal from this bath, the material will be in a plastic doughlike condition and into this, binding material such as gum or lac, is introduced, and thoroughly commingled therewith, and a color pigment in a powdered form is thoroughly incorporated, and commingled therewith by stirring, kneading or other mechanical means.

To. produce a mottled effect with several. colors, the color pigments are incorporated separately in the separate masses of the plastic material, and theseparate masses are then thrown together and the product allowed to stand for a limited period to partially cure the same. The material is subsequently passed between warm rolls or presses, which amalgamate the smaller masses together and flatten and solidify the united mass and also elongate it into sheets in which the colors run together in a marbled or mottled form and are incorporated throughout the materia1. The action of the rolls also has the W physical effect of tapering and solidifying the material and adding to its tensile strength and producing evenness and fineness of texture therein.

The final stage of the process consists in curing the material by exposing it to the action of a circulation of air in a heated room.

The material is made stronger as it becomes further cured by the lapse of time, and

a further advantage over natural leather is we found in the fact that scraps and trimmings can beretreated and used over and over again. When the surface is to be ornamented or engraved, presses or rolls can be employed and any desired desi n can be em- 1oz; bossed upon the surface an imitations-of any sort of animal skin can be produced by the designs cut on the surfaces of the press dies or rolls.

This can be effected after flattening and before curing the sheets.

Having described the invention, what it claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A process for manufacturing a colored leather-like material in which the color permeates the entire mass of the material, consisting in first softening a mass of fibers in an alkaline solution and next immersing them in acetic acid until a. predetermined proportion of the mass in converted into amorphous cellulose, the remaining fibers being held in suspension therein, thus form ing a plastic doughlike mass, incorporating a binder and coloring material in a powdered form and allowing the mass to set, next me chanically treating the mass to flatten and solidify the mass and temper the same, and

to produce a fine and even texture therein.

and finally curing the same by exposing it to a current of air in a heated'room.

2. A process for manufacturing mottled leather-like material in which contrasting colors are incorporated constituting a substitute for leather, consisting in first treata certain amount of fibrous material remain- I ing imbedded therein, said treated mass forming a plastic doughlike material, incorporating a binder therein, separating said mass into a predetermined number of portions separatively incorporating a colored pigment in each portion, bring said portions together again and subjecting the united mass to a mechanical kneading pressure to flatten and solidify same, and to unify said portions, and finally curing the product by exposing it to an air current in a heated room.

3. A process of manufacturing a colored leather substitute consisting in preparing a number of doughlike portions from a mass composed of predetermined proportions of plastic amorphous celulose and fiber, and thenconnningling therewith a binder and a separate coloring pigment for each portion, combining the portions and flattening and solidifying and commingling the same under pressure to produce a sheet of uniform texture, and finally curing the same by ex- HUBER-T "W. MORGAN.

In presence. oft- S. W. SANos'rER, WM. M. MONROE. 

